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Seems a little curious to me too.. I mean you can go to BB or CC and get an HR21 for $199, so to me you'd have to be no higher than $99, even then, one would seriously have to think about whether or not they were going to need HD in the foreseeable future (like < 3years). But then to that, if the unit is upgradeable, what is to stop people from buying it at my assumed $99 and then "upgrading" it to HD?

And if it is the same platform and hardware restricted by software, why maintain the extra model and deal with supply, troubleshooting issues?

Assuming it is upgradeable, nothing is stopping a user from doing what you describe. That being said, nothing stopping DirecTv from charging a HD enabling fee either.

Have an Error or Diagnostic code? Find out what it means and how to fix it here: Click MeHaving issues with your HD locals? Report them here: Click MeIs your receiver compatible with MRV? Check Here

Assuming it is upgradeable, nothing is stopping a user from doing what you describe. That being said, nothing stopping DirecTv from charging a HD enabling fee either.

It would seem to me that makes some sense, but another fee? Really! I mean enabling means the cutomer is going to spend more $ on thier bill. If I didn't know better I would say this could be the wave of the future. What programming package, and thats whats turned on and "enabled". Now there was a guy that just posted he got one yesturday. I wonder what he paid for it?

Now there was a guy that just posted he got one yesturday. I wonder what he paid for it?

Nothing. If you read the thread you'll see that DirecTV sent him an R22 to replace his broken R15. He does not have HDTV and since he got a big surprise when he opened the box I'm sure he didn't pay anything that he wouldn't have paid to get his broken R15 replaced.

As far as HD upgradeability, what I can tell you, is that it is not "impossible" as in the R15s. This DVR is designed for markets with SD-MPEG4 locals. If the decision is made to offer an HD upgrade in the future then the hardware will allow it. It's not clear how that would go and any decision on that is a ways off.

So the R22 is essentially an HR21 equivalent that is software locked to output nothing higher than 480p resolution, and to hide the HD GUI stuff.

In the investor presentation they said before they get to one receiver for everyone SD or HD there would be an interem receiver that would be SD but upgradable to HD. This might be the first step in getting there.

Seems a little curious to me too.. I mean you can go to BB or CC and get an HR21 for $199, so to me you'd have to be no higher than $99, even then, one would seriously have to think about whether or not they were going to need HD in the foreseeable future (like < 3years). But then to that, if the unit is upgradeable, what is to stop people from buying it at my assumed $99 and then "upgrading" it to HD?

And if it is the same platform and hardware restriced by software, why maintain the extra model and deal with supply, troubleshooting issues?

For one thing, according to DirecTV, the HD DVRs will soon come with 100 hours of HD recording capacity, so I suspect that the DVRs sold as HD DVRs will come with a 500 GB disk inside, compared to the 320 GB disks in the H22s which will only give you about 50 hours of recording capacity if it is used as an HD DVR. Other than that difference in disk size, it seems like the “SD DVRs” and the HD DVRs will have the same hardware capabilities, including full HD capability.

In the investor presentation they said before they get to one receiver for everyone SD or HD there would be an interem receiver that would be SD but upgradable to HD. This might be the first step in getting there.

It has to be. The investor presentation said that all [newly deployed] DVRs would be MPEG4 and HD capable by mid 2008, so this has to be the first DVR that meets that objective. In other words, the R22 will essentially be DirecTV's entry level HD DVR that is installed for customers who initially only want SD service.

It's kind of sad, I was hoping DirecTV would get out of the SD end of the signal soon.

I suggest that you re-read this thread. The R22 is first step towards that end, but it will take a minimum of 5-6 years before they could be near having all of the SD-only receivers out of circulation and replaced with HD capable MPEG4 receivers, which would have to happen before the MPEG2 SD signals can be turned off.

It's kind of sad, I was hoping DirecTV would get out of the SD end of the signal soon.

And what should they do with the majority of their customers that are SD customers? Tell them to go away we only want HD customers? This receiver IMHO is the start of a migration to mpeg4 only. Many channels do not need to be HD. If those types of channels were in Mpeg4 they could reduce the bandwidth and still improve the picture quality. In time I'm guessing these types of receivers will be the only SD available to new subs and when the amount of mpeg2 receivers is low enough there will be a swap so that mpeg2 can be turned off in favor of mpeg4. For the cost of a satellite launch you could replace a lot of SD boxes and go to mpeg4 and not need the new satellite and uplink centers and all the rest of the infrastructure.

Just an opinion however I expect D*, E* an the Cable companies will be doing this sort of theng sooner or later and the laggard will be sorry.

:eek2::eek2::):) OHHH!!! <drools> I wish it had ethernet or usb. Is that a SATA port on the back? VERY COOL THOUGH!! When ever this is out. My R15 WILL fail!

It does have ethernet, and the DOD feature works just fine! I have loved playing with this new toy!!

There are two kinds of Strength: the strength to lead, and the strength to follow; the strength to control, and the strength to yield. There are two kinds of Power: The power to strip another's soul bare, and the power to stand naked.

There are two kinds of Strength: the strength to lead, and the strength to follow; the strength to control, and the strength to yield. There are two kinds of Power: The power to strip another's soul bare, and the power to stand naked.

I suggest that you re-read this thread. The R22 is first step towards that end, but it will take a minimum of 5-6 years before they could be near having all of the SD-only receivers out of circulation and replaced with HD capable MPEG4 receivers, which would have to happen before the MPEG2 SD signals can be turned off.

Exactly. The focus of the R22 seems to be getting an MPEG4 capable SD receiver out there. Right now the obvious need would be markets where locals are being deployed in MPEG4 instead of MPEG2. Will D* ever move to complete MPEG4 for SD? Your guess is as good as mine. However, my personal opinion is it will probably happen, but as cartrivision says will be sometime out into the future. Just think of all the MPEG2 receivers that are still in use and working just fine (I'll bet there's millions of them!).